The Los Angeles Dodgers remain a force in the National League. After winning back-to-back World Series titles, they are in first place in the NL West with a 30-19 record, which is the second-best mark in the senior circuit.
However, they have had some pitching injuries. The most recent casualty was Blake Snell, who had a setback in his rehab and was ultimately forced to undergo surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow.
The trade deadline will be a good time for the Dodgers to make another splash and stock up on pitching depth. The Detroit Tigers are unlikely to trade Tarik Skubal unless they fall out of contention, but Mike Axisa of CBS Sports listed the Dodgers as a team that could be in the mix should that happen.
“Assuming he returns from surgery without a hitch, Skubal would instantly become the best available pitcher and the best available player period at the trade deadline if the Tigers do put him on the market,” Axisa writes. “Every contender — Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, etc. — would make a run at him. The bidding war would be fierce.”
What It Would Take
The Dodgers have a loaded farm system. Their top two prospects are outfielders Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope. The Tigers are going to want a lot in return if they decide to trade Skubal, and the Dodgers would need to weigh the risks of trading for a pitcher on an expiring contract for such a high price.
But the Dodgers have never been a team that shies away from making the big moves, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they will decide to do it again and put themselves in position to make another championship run.
Skubal would give the Dodgers’ rotation a major boost and a Cy Young caliber pitcher to go alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. That would give them a great chance to win another World Series title and distance themselves from the San Diego Padres in the NL West.
The division race is much tighter this year than it has been in the past, but the Dodgers could re-establish themselves as the clear favorite to win another division title. They have only entered the playoffs as a wild card team once since 2013, so this could give them a chance to extend their run of division titles.
Dodgers Could Have Decisive Advantage in Skubal Sweepstakes
Not only do the Dodgers have a loaded farm system, but they also have the advantage of being defending World Series champions, as well as near unlimited financial resources. Though Skubal will be a free agent at the end of the season, the Dodgers would be in a great position to sign him to a long-term contract if they are able to acquire him from the Tigers at the deadline.
The Dodgers have been able to land a lot of star players, and they certainly have a lure given their recent success.
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